Welcome to Education in Europe, brought to you by the Green European Foundation with financial support from the Robert Bosch Stifton and the European Parliament.

The rebels, the nerds, the thoughtful shy ones, and of course the hipsters.

Whether an outsider or part of the mainstream, we all grow up influenced by our social

milieu, the people and environment around us that shape our world and our worldview.

My guest today is Philip Ekrath, an expert and author on youth culture and intergenerational

change. His books, Dihipsta, and Generation Ego, have been praised for their insights into what shapes the group

identities of young people and how youth culture shifts from generation to generation.

Today, Philip and I talk about what makes young people tick, the steadfast rebellion of teenagers

against their dinosaur parents, the importance of youthful

thrills and outward appearances, like having a killer tanned.

I think politics was always about aesthetics, at least in the last 150 years.

I mean, national socialism was hugely about aesthetics.

So, yeah, it was always important, or not always, but for an extended period of time.

I'm Benjamin Lourge, and this is education in Europe.

Here, we talk with dedicated practitioners, scholars and policymakers from across the European

spectrum, each of them working with young people to strengthen our democracies and cultivate

the next generation of informed and active European citizens.

Let's jump into our conversation with Philip Beecrath.

I reached him at his home in Vienna, Austria, over a recent weekend.

Right now, all across Germany, all across Austria, all across Europe, it's Sunday,

and a lot of people are getting together with their families, with their communities, perhaps,

and they're probably complaining about the young people.

...